THE ANGLICAN ALLIANCE BRINGS TOGETHER THOSE IN THE ANGLICAN FAMILY OF CHURCHES AND AGENCIES TO WORK FOR A WORLD FREE OF POVERTY AND INJUSTICE, TO BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS, TO RECONCILE THOSE IN CONFLICT, AND TO SAFEGUARD THE EARTH.

11 November 2013

Thousands are feared dead and a million people left homeless after the super typhoon that hit central Philippines. Anglican agencies have launched emergency appeals to help the stricken communities.

You can find out how to give through the links below to the appeals by Episcopal Relief and Development, The Primates World Relief and Development Fund, Anglican Overseas Aid and the Anglican Board of Mission. The Anglican Alliance has contacted the Episcopal Church of the Philippines to find out about their relief operations, and will provide information as soon as it is available.

Meanwhile thesuper typhoon is reported to have affected 9.5 million people in nine regions of the Philippines. Over 1,000 are known to be dead and over 618,000 people displaced - with only two thirds finding shelter in one of the 1,458 evacuation centres. The strongest typhoon ever recorded overwhelmed the Philippines authorities relief efforts.

In the picture above, residents salvage belongings from the ruins of their houses after Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city on 10 November 2013. Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Erik De Castro.

Already Anglican agencies are supporting partners in the Philippines as they respond:

“Our partner, the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, has done excellent work in the area of disaster risk reduction over the past few years, but when events come one on top of the other like this, challenges are compounded,” said Abagail Nelson, Episcopal Relief & Development’s Senior Vice President for Programs. “We are standing ready to offer assistance as the local Church assesses needs and identifies areas where it can best help vulnerable people in this difficult time.” For appeal, click here.

Naba Gurung of the Primates World Relief and Development Fund reports that “PWRDF has pledged an initial response of $20,000 towards the ACT Alliance appeal to be implemented by the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, also a bilateral partner of PWRDF. The Canadian government has announced a matching fund (dollar for dollar) to encourage Canadians to donate, and PWRDF will likely be a part of it.” For appeal, click here.

The Anglican Board of Mission - Australia (ABM) has launched an appeal to support their partners working with poor communities, who have inveitably been hit the hardest.

While Anglican Overseas Aid is also working with ACT Alliance, to respond to the devastation. For appeal, click here.

In the outskirts of Tacloblan City which took the full impact of the typhoon with gusts of up to 235 mph, nearly 16 inches of rainfall and waves of up to 45 feet in some areas, there is no food, no water and no electricity. People are walking into the city where 13 evacuation centres have been providing food. Water, food and shelter are urgent priorities for survivors, as well as debris clearance and hygiene and sanitation, to allow communities to return home, according to UN OCHA. The central region of the Philippines was still recovering from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Bohol province in central visayas region last month.